Executive Coaching Certification

Whether you're looking for a new career or want to enhance your current work as a consultant or coach, this program will help you become a top-level executive coach. Working with published experts, you will master the six-phase “Sherpa” coaching process and learn the skills and techniques necessary to enable others to achieve professional success. An Executive Coaching Certification is granted upon successful completion of the program.

The Executive Coaching Certification program is appropriate for new or veteran coaches, HR professionals, and anyone responsible for developmental coaching in both public and private organizations.

The Sherpa Executive Coaching Certification will make you far more effective as a practitioner in this growing field by providing a certification process approach and standard. Sherpa certification carries the prestige and credibility of a recognized credential. You will learn:

• Mastery of the Sherpa coaching process, the  “operating system” for contemporary coaching.
• A proven process for permanently improving client's  business behavior.
• Effective communications for developing increased  individual and team productivity.
• How to use Sherpa Coaching material for workshops, seminars, and team coaching.

• A worldwide network of Sherpa coaches.
• A private forum and message board.
• An annual conference for continuing education.
• Exclusive custom research  from Sherpa's annual coaching survey.
• Consulting on sales and marketing of your new enterprise.
• A Sherpa directory listing on the web.
• A library of scripts and PowerPoints for presentations.
• A career path  that can lead to consulting and teaching positions.

The model for the Sherpa executive coach is the Himalayan guide. Of all mountain escorts, Sherpas are the most knowledgeable. They help climbers choose a course and reach the summit. In the same way, Sherpa executive coaches advise, provide tools, and share knowledge of the best path for their clients to follow.

The Sherpa process involves six phases -- each with comprehensive exercises, assessments, tools, and activities -- that lead the coaching client through careful self-examination and personal planning. The faculty/authors share new material and insights from their own case studies and experiences, adding depth to course content. Class size is intentionally limited to provide for supervised group practice and individualized instruction. Participants get a full immersion classroom program and 90 days of guided support for a practicum coaching client.

• Sherpa Executive Coaching Certification begins with looking at You, the real you. This section covers process overview, self-discovery, a personal inventory of strengths and weaknesses, and agreement on what needs to change.

• This next phase looks at the important people, places, and things in your life and how they affect and support you. You'll give yourself a reality check on the perceptions and values that drive your behavior.

• Phase III uncovers your true motivations and why people and things affect you the way that they do. Where are you most vulnerable and why? You will end this pivotal stage by setting direction for self-improvement and development and learning how to effectively create and communicate expectations to others. 

• You will investigate the areas that affect your day-to-day work life, both relational and organizational. Then you'll create customized solutions and action plans for changing business behavior. 

• This phase helps you plan for success by establishing the right accountability and attitude.  The client must commit to change beyond the coaching engagement by establishing a long-term outlook and independent timelines for meeting goals.

• After weeks of work new habits are formed. Change is monitored and documented. New connections are established with accountability partners. It's time to celebrate change!

Putting Theory into Practice

The program’s two-week, time-phased format allows for immediate practice of skills learned. In between the first and second program sessions, participants will return home and use their new skills to work with a practicum coaching client. They receive weekly phone support from a Sherpa support specialist as the practicum experience unfolds.

“I was blown away by the quality of the program content, the facilitators, the Penn State facilities and the 'extra touches.' I have never experienced a program as intense as this one; however, I believe it was appropriate for the caliber of course and university affiliation. Having the actual authors and visionaries of the Sherpa process be the facilitators was amazing - we were able to learn so much from them!”

--Lori Buffington, Director of Learning & Leadership Development, Hershey Entertainment & Resorts Company

The Executive Coaching Certification program is taught by Brenda Corbett and/or Judith Colemon, the co-authors of The Sherpa Guide: Process-Driven Executive Coaching. The book serves as text for the course and is packed with actionable items—tips and techniques for the coach to use with any client. Participants receive a signed copy. The book sets the standard for "how to coach" books, and for the field of coaching itself. Marshall Goldsmith agrees, "Corbett and Colemon are the next generation of world leaders in coaching."

Brenda Corbett
Judith Colemon

Additional coaching offerings include:

Coaching Skills for High Performance - In this three-day bootcamp, participants acquire the coaching mindset and winning skill set for building alignment, accelerating goals, and increasing execution and results for individuals and teams.  This program particularly benefits sales, service, and functional leaders.